Power drive system



POWER DRIVE SYSTEM Filed May 21, 1932 3 SheetsSheet l l O E l\ X i" 5 INVENTOR.

FRflA/KL. MORSE r By M II/IIIlI/l A TTORNEY Jan. 1, 1935. F, sE 1,986,008

POWER DRIVE SYSTEM Filed May 21, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR FR/Z/VK 1; 4/ 1 was;

Jan. 1, 1935. F. 1.. MORSE POWER DRIVE SYSTEM Filed May 21, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR. FRfl/VK L 1910555 BY A TTORNEY Patented Jan. 1, 1935 5 to. a relativelyfixed driven shaft'b y means ofa belt; or gearing" transmission systemwhose elements are held in; strict alignment; -It{is par-v ticularly applicable toelectric generators for railway cars, which are ordinaa rily-r driven bymea'ns oi a beltirom a pulley mountedmon a n-axle of the car ,truck, ,while the, generator is mounted on the ,undersideg of the car- ;body;; The axle-upon which the pulley is mountedmay have an angu- 1a rmovement of over 7 degreeswhenthe car is taking a curve, which means that-the ordinary V pulley-may shift to the right 'orleft about 8 inches 4 either; side of ithe normal straight-line position," Inaddition, the car :body mayztip relativeto the track, and may have an up and down motion due to spring action and a fore and aft motion relative to the: axle due to wear or play oi the journal boxes It is .thereiore naturalthat the belts frequently jumpv the pulleys, and-are subject to excessive-weandueto running outotlin'eh 1 I t {Io overcomethis V difficulty, I -m ount'; both the 7 driving and driven elements of the transmission on the undersidef of; the car :body, in r definitely fixedalignment making thei driving element in the; form; of ;a ring pulley or gear. havinga large hole throughwhich the axle passesgwith plenty, of clearance on all sides, ,an dlconnect this'rdriv ing element orring to the axleby means of flex ible or" extensible members which allow ,-a free axial -playcver a wide range, aswell as'ireeengular displacements and lateral movements. v 1 am aware that attempts have been made to drive railway generators by means of; universal jointed pulleys mounted on the axle and guidedfrom the carg but these have not hadthe proper longitudinal or axial movement tofmakejhem' sab lisfactoryj,andinvolved undes able v I faces requiring lubrication. FY, s distinguished from these, the present iinvention the pulley is not carried on the axle; put is mounted jvvholly v t l loneoflthe 'rmr constructions have had' an externally mounted pulley combinedtwith; a driving connection {of sufficient altial ireedoifi'or flex ibility so asto anowithe extended, axialginovemerit necessary to" an operative device in "railway service; wherea total axialshiftof 16 inches may ocother objects of this invention-aresto dispense with-universal joints'ancl similariconnections not suited to" severe railway conditions; to make-1a 1 ing spring 'un der'sideof-the car and is usually driven by]; belt normal straight line position and tends toithrovv rsal sure on b t-out e is m w hp he e es Q g 2; is liniited ljy t iacttliat-itrnu'st be below the In the present invention the driver transmission system that easy, tomservicej to save belt wear and tear; 5 to a permit flargerj drive ai ll s la greater enflmt r s e s d u u yarious other objectsfaswill heccine apparent ,th'e descriptionproceeds Re ferring' nowl to the rawin s; a ,Fig; 1 is" a general "ewiimlsti deeleyatigfi, Part5 lyin section, Showing the tfanSmiSSion-asapplied to drivejan'gelectricfgeneatonf i railwa'ycarfif gi z is a vertical el evationiof 9 i z lei tf fieleg; Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section of th I pulley i l wn-in Fig-: ishq n ihe fie e dr Referring now w v yw 10 calrried ngthe longitudinal beams 11 1s mount d fi 1' fa. L%X -tf l QL IfE I e is shown which truckllturns relatively :to' the car nody ioi about'the ,point l-13 when roundin'ga rve-cm 10 n f e nathe-i e r b dir; w; e fiwcii n a ib mg i am d m re a ne l. rv ia zwame m e 1t generator; -15 101'. charging the .batteries of; the: n" ori ntin li e r e t o le r e n: ditioningv o other serv s, ;is, mou nted on 1 the fromca ulle i ewmh i di-ax 12'19i h ruc 1, s hs-truck-turns mw vot 3 u d n a s rveith t rd #1 2, emabeh n t e mm mo es t l hefiilsht r; tc i imb be be w s re ces l ienkl r new Jump the o di a y ,ipg pulle .-A1 o.. the i e 5%. ordinary drivingpulley mounted on the third axle longitudinal carv bealns li -as it cannotextndiip be wee mento -thereas n-sh m w u dfi se men -a ;v t s ft t e: ht-.q lef in sou 'ing a curv e of the track.

maize-av raniti-point riiniany irunningfpqsition; 55

art, since the center distances and alignment can be controlled WithiHLSllitflbl-B limits.

In order to transmit the. power from the car wheel or axle 12 to the ring or drive pulley 17,; while permitting the axle 12' free play axiallyorlongitudinally in and out of the ring as-thetruck turns on the pivot 13 in rounding a curve, a driving connection 20 between the axle12' and ring pulley 1'7 which will transmit driving torque but be very yielding to axial motion is required.

One preferred form of this driving connection Q 20 is shown in greater, detail in Fig. 2, Fig. 3, and Fig; 4 which also show in greater detail the method of mounting the ;drive ring or pulleylfl;

This 'driving connection 20 is in the form of'a pair of helical springs 20, 20, of large enough pitch diameter to go around the axle'12' with plenty of clearance, theouter ends of the springs 20 being secured to collars 2 2 clamped on the axle.

12, and the inner ends of the springs 20 being fastened to the ring p'ulley' l'l at the point 23. The metal of the springs 20 is in general thicker radially than axially, so that theyare resistant to torque, but flexible to axial compression' or extension. H l v Inasmuch as the springs 20 can be rigidly clamped at each end, and the movements and displacements are taken up byflexure, the lubricated adjusting surfaces characteristic of the so-called universal pulley mountings are avoided, and the wear and service troubles incident tosuch lubri cated surfaces are overcome. It will be noted that the driving springs 20 are of opposite pitch,

so that axial movementmakes one unwind and against the race of the pulley :17, insures a fre'erunning pulley with automatic take-upofany wear or rattle. "The pulley 1'7 is usually split so that it can be assembled around the axle 12 without removing awheel, and the spring 20 has sufiicient flexibility"so that it can be threaded on the axle 12.

The frame 28 ismade of two annular plates connected by'thespacer bolts 31, and is hung from the beam 11 on the pivotal mounting'3'2, allow ing it acertain amountfof play to adjust the belt tension. The tension of the "belt is maintained by the spring 33, one end of which bears against the movable frame 28 which carries the pulley 17, while the other end of the spring 33 bears against the socket plate 34 which is bolted to the car beamll'. V 1 i It will thus be seen that the driving pulley 1'7; while it surrounds the axle 12', is wholly supported from the car beams or car body, and so is definitely held in running alignment with the generatoripulley 16, which is also-secured to the car beams or body, while at the same time the utmost freedom is allowed for all possible movements of the axle, by reason of the play of the driving connection 20.

While I have shown a pair of helical or coneshaped springs 20 as one preferred embodiment of the driving connection, any other connection resistant to torque but having a long axial range of play or travel, say sixteen inches or so, may be used. For 1 example, analternative form of flexible connection is shownin Fig. 5, in which a system of transverse cables is used to transmit the torque and permit the play.

H Referringtmore in detail to Fig. 5, the ring or drive pulley 17 carries on its inner opening three pairsof transverse pulley wheels 40, around .which run three pairs of transverse cables 41, the two cables of each pair running in opposite directions around the pulleys 40 so as to drive in eitherdirection. The ends of the cablesal are secu'r'ed'to arms 42 fastened to the axle 12', so that'they rotate with theaxle, and so drive the ring pulley 1'7.

The axial play or travel when the car is rouhding a curve is taken up by the pulley wheels 40 rolling alongthe cables 41 to 'the'right' or left, as the car body or frame 28 moves relative to the axle 12'. The other minor movements of the axlerelative to the pulley 17 are taken up by the flexibility of thecables 41. Thus the torque is transmitted to the ring pulley 17 mounted on the car, while the utmost flexibility is allowed forall othermotions.

'With the coming of electrical refrigeration and air conditioning for railway cars, one of the problems is to increase the output of the generators. Without increasing the'size of the generator, this added-output can only be obtained by increasing itsfspeed. One of the added advantages-of'the above described method of mounting the drive pulley '17 in fixed relation to the car body isthat it can be made larger by extending it -'up between the car beams lljwhich ordinarily could not be done because of the side play of the'pulley when carried on the car axle.

' While in the foregoing I have described certain specific"examples, -it will be understood that they are merely for the purpose of illustration to make clear the principles of the invention, which is'not limited 'to the particular forms shown, and is susceptible to various modifications and adaptationsin different installations as will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as stated in the following claims:

j'bearings rotatably mounting said drive wheel in said frame, so that Kit is also restrained from said axialmovements, and a torque transmitting means between the shaft and the drive wheel,

the points of attachment of said torque transmitting means to the shaft. lying longitudinally outside of the drive wheel, said torque transmitting. means being adjustable longitudinally over an extended range, laterally overa lesser range, andangula'rly, whereby. a continuous driving connection is maintained between the shaft and drive wheel for all running positions.

2. In an electric generator drive for railway cars, the combination of a driven pulley,ia driving pulley in fixed alignment withsaid driven pulley, a drive between said pulleys, an axle extending through the driven pulley with clearance on all sides, and a flexible torque transmitting.

ting means between the axle andringwheel capable of extended adjustment in an axial direction, lesser adjustment in lateral directions, and angular adjustments, whereby a continuous driving connection ismaintained between the axle and ring wheel for all running positions. 4. Inan electric generator drive for railway cars, the combination of a car axle, a car body, a

driven pulley and a driver pulley mountedwith' the car body so as to maintain alignment with each other as the car turns, said driver'pulley having an opening through which the axle ex-.- tends with clearance in all directions to allowthe turning movement of the car, and a torque transmitting means between the axle and ring-wheel capable of extended adjustment in an axialdirection, lesser adjustment in lateral directions, and

angular adjustments, whereby a continuous driving connection is maintained between the axle and ringwheel for all running positions.

5. In an electric generator drive for railway cars, the combination of a driven pulley, a driving pulley in fixed alignment with said driven pulley, a drive between said pulleys, an axle extending through the driven pulley with clearance on all sides, and flexible torque transmitting means extending along the axle on both sides of the driving pulley.

6. In an electric generator drive for railway cars, the combination of an axle, a ring pulley surrounding said axle with clearance on all'sides of said axle, means for supporting said ring pulley free of the axle and flexible torque transmitting means yieldable principally inan axial direction connecting the axle and ring pulley, said flexible means extending on both sides of the ring pulley. 7. In a power transmission, the combination of a driven wheel, a drive wheel in alignment with said driven wheel, power transmitting means between said wheels, said drive wheel having a central opening and an inner raceway, roller bearings engaging said raceway and holding said drive wheel against axial movement while allowing rotation, a rotating shaft having axial playand also lateral and angular movement, said shaft extending thru the'opening of the drive wheel with clearance on all sides, and adjustable torque transmitting means extending on both sides of the drive wheel and connecting it to the "shaft" 8. In a power transmission, the combination of a driven wheel, a drive wheel in alignment with said driven wheel, power transmitting means between said wheels, said drive wheel having a central opening and an inner raceway, roller bearings engaging said raceway and holding said drive wheel against axial movement while allowing rotation, a rotating shaft. having axial play and also lateral and angular movement, said shaft extending thru the opening of the drive wheel with clearance on all sides, and a coil spring connecting the drive wheel and shaft, the point of attachment of said coil spring'to the shaft lying longitudinally outside of the drive wheel, said coil spring being wound around the shaft with coils considerably greater in diameter thanthe shaft, whereby torque is transmitted but play allowed the shaft within the spring and drive wheel.

9. In a. power transmission, the combination of an axle, a drivewheel surrounding said axle with an internal opening thru which the axle extends with clearance on all sides of said axle, transverse pulleys mounted on said wheelwithin said open-- ing and clear of the axle, and transverse cables ex-- tending thru said opening. and on said pulleys and. secured at the ends to rotate with the axle,

whereby torque is transmitted from the axle to the drive wheel, while allowing free play to the axle. v l

10. In a power transmission, the combination of an axle, a drive wheel surrounding said axle with an internal opening through which the axle extendswithclearance on'all sides of said axle,

transverse cables extending through said open ing inoperative contact with said drive wheel, said cables being secured to the axle to rotate therewith, whereby torque is transmitted from the axle to the drivewheel, play to the axle.

11. In a power transmissiomxthe combination.

of an axle, a drive wheel surrounding said axle with an internal opening through which the axle extendswithclearance onall sides of said axle, driving arms secured to said axle on both sides while allowing free of said drive wheel and spaced axially therefrom,

and transverse cables extending. from one set of driving arms through the drive wheel to the other set'of idriving arms, said cables being in oper-v ative contact with said drive wheel forrotation,

while allowingfree axial motion, whereby torque is transmitted from the axle to the drive whee in various positions. I

12. In a power transmission, the combination of an axle, a drive wheel surroundingsaid axle with an internal opening through which the axle extends with clearance on all sides of said axle, driving arms secured to said axle-on both sides of said drive wheel and spaced axially therefrom, and transverse driving means extending from one set of driving arms. through the drive wheel to the other set of driving arms, said transverse driving means being'in operative con- ,qtact with said drive wheel. for rotation, while allowing free axial motion, whereby torque is transmitted from the axle to the, drive wheel in variouspositions.

' FRANK L. MORSE. 

